Paris is not yet in Alex Dowsett’s mind despite making it past the halfway point in his debut Tour de France.
Dowsett’s race has been hamstrung by a nasty crash on last Tuesday’s cobbled stage to Cambrai, and he started Thursday’s 12th stage to the ski summit of Plateau de Beille last but one on GC, over two hours behind former Sky teammate Chris Froome.
“I’m alright, I’m surviving and I’m over halfway through,” the Movistar rider told Cycling Weekly on Thursday morning. “But Paris feels quite a long way still because of today’s stage and the Alps. A long way away.
“The Pyrenees so far have been grim; I was OK on the first mountain stage [to La-Pierre-Saint-Martin] but I paid for my efforts riding on the front on the flat for Nairo that day and on yesterday’s stage [11].”
Nonetheless, the next true mountain test comes in six days’ time in the Alps, and Dowsett knows that surviving stage 12's summit finish will draw the French capital significantly closer.
“Today’s finish line is the finish line for the next four stages, I think,” he added.
“The team have been saying that, they’ve been sympathising about my struggles.
“I just missed the grupetto yesterday, so I was fighting all day to stay in the race. I wasn’t sure if I was going home or not; it turned out I had a bit of time at the finish.”
Highlights of stage 11 of the 2015 Tour de France
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Best bicycle insurance, including what you need to know and how to compare
Wondering how to protect your pride and joy? Our helpful guide tells you all you need to know about bicycle insurance
-
Five talking points from stage eleven of the Giro d’Italia 2022
The Cycling Weekly highlights package from the stage which finally saw an Italian win at the home race this year
-
'Winning has become harder in women’s cycling,' says Annemiek van Vleuten
Dutch rider pleased to have the confidence to attack twice to take Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes victory
-
Annemiek Van Vleuten back to form taking a battling solo win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
The Movistar rider took a tenacious win with repeated attacks, finally going clear on the final classified climb riding solo for 10km
-
Alejandro Valverde: Second place at Flèche Wallonne 'is worth as much as a victory'
Spaniard finishes on podium for eight time in final time up Mur de Huy
-
Breakaway caught agonisingly close to the line as Emma Norsgaard wins a tense Le Samyn des Dames
A two woman breakaway was caught with only 150m to go as the Danish rider takes a fourth season win for Movistar in southern Belgium
-
Van Vleuten continues stellar 2022 with Omloop Het Nieuwsblad victory
Vollering outwitted into second place as her compatriot takes a second win in the Classics season opener
-
Gabriel Cullaigh signs for Saint Piran: 'Hopefully the results will come and I will jump back up to the WorldTour'
The Briton hopes to follow in the same footsteps as his peer James Shaw in bouncing back
-
'I had thoughts of just packing it all in': Gabriel Cullaigh's lonely experience and rejection with Movistar
The Yorkshireman explains why he was unable to deliver on the promise he showed at U23 level
-
American Matteo Jorgenson is on a path of discovery to find out what bike rider he really is: 'my place in cycling is changing a bit'
One half of Idaho's WorldTour duo talks off-season adventures and future endeavours
